eyans



(Np Model.)

1 J. W. EVANS 82; A. H. VERNAY.

THILL HOLDER.

4 Y 00 ,h N 00 R 1 0 W H 1 V A M W d e wwvvvvv t mg n nu LIU C a m P m B Rw 1 00 I. ...I 9 2 w 0 ml. N I W M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN WESLEY EVANS AND ALBERT H. VERNAY, OF BALTIMORE, MD.

THlLL-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,315, dated January 1, 18624.

Application filed October 22, 1883.

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that we, JOHN WESLEY EVANS and ALBERT H. VERNAY, of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Holders; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a front view of our improved thill-holder. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same.

Our invention has relation to that class of thill-holders in which the lower end of the loop is provided with an anti-friction roller, upon which the thill rests and is allowed to move without any friction; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of the same, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the strap passing from the harnesssaddle, which is buckled into a buckle, B, upon the upper end of the thill-loop O, which consists of an outer layer, D, of leather, an intermediate loop, E, of metal, and an inner loop or lining, F, of leather, of which the edges of the inner and outer layer are stitched together, covering the metallic loop entirely. The lower end of the loop is provided with a transverse eye, G, into which a ring, H, is hinged, to which the belly-strap I is secured. Abolt, J, having a head, K, at one end, screwthreaded at the other end, L, and provided with a nut, M, fitting upon the said threaded end, passes through the sides of the metallic loop near the lower end of the same, and a rubber roller, N, turns upon the same, the head of the bolt bearing against the outside of one side of the loop, and the nut bearing against the outside of the other side, securing the bolt, while washers O are placed between (No model.)

the ends of the roller and the inside of the sides of the loop upon the bolt, preventing the ends of the roller from hearing against the inner sides of the loop, and from being thus prevented from turning. The roller is covered upon its face with a metallic tire or sleeve, P, which strengthens the roller and prevents it from wearing out too soon.

It will be seen that by this construction the drawbacks common with thill-holders of this classviz., contraction of the loop in width, which prevents the roller from turning and causes it to wear only on one side by the weight of the thills and the wearing of the roller by the rubber yielding too much, and allowing the thill to rest and slide upon one place of the rollerare avoided, the metallic loop preventing the same from being contracted in width and the metallic covering of the roller preventing it from being worn by being compressed.

We are aware that it is not new to make metallic thill-loops covered with leather on the in and out sides, and we are also aware that thill-loops have-been made with a roller in the lower end, as stated in the statement of the invention, and we do not therefore wish to claim such constructions, broadly; but

What we claim is- The combination of a metallic thill-loop covered inside and outside with leather and suspended in the usual manner, a threaded bolt passing through the sides of the loop near its lower end, and provided with wash ers inside the sides of the loop, and a roller journaled upon the bolt and having a metallic covering upon its surface, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereunto affixed our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN WESLEY EVANS. ALBERT H. VERNAY. Witnesses:

LOUIS BAGGER, ARTHUR L. MonsEL'L. 

